Tommy Can’t Stop by Tim Federle –NO

Federle, Tim and illustrated by Fearing, Mark Tommy Can’t Stop Disney Hyperion, 2015. $16.99 PICTURE BOOK

Tommy is a little boy with a lot of energy. His family tries everything to tire him out. When he is enrolled in tap class, the solution is found, and so is his talent.

I really like this illustrator! I didn’t enjoy the cadence of the story and the word choices were just awful, vocab too challenging. I feel that this was more like a biography for the author and his fans to enjoy than a story that children can relate to, for example Pogo sticks were referred to and kids today don't know what that is. Don’t get me wrong, so many children have unstoppable energy levels, but this story was a bit confusing because of the wording. I didn’t even realize that the boy was enrolled in tap, I thought it was just PE or something, and the vocabulary in that section would only be understandable by those in dance. I feel like the story could have been told quite a bit better and could have functioned as a really great lesson that dance is great outlet for both boys and girls.

PRE-K, EL  –NOT RECOMMENDED  Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.